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Utley scratched with discomfort in right side

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Utley's RBI single 0:38

5/19/13: Chase Utley drops a single into left to score Ben Revere as the Phillies trim the Reds' lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth

By Todd Zolecki
/
MLB.com |

MIAMI -- Phillies second baseman Chase Utley had to be scratched from Tuesday's lineup because he felt discomfort on his right side during batting practice. A team official indicated it is in the ribcage area. The club said Utley is receiving treatment and will be sent to have an MRI in Philadelphia on Thursday.

Freddy Galvis took Utley's place at second base.

"When he took a swing, he kind of felt a little burn, a pain in his ribcage," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "I'm sure they'll find out exactly how serious it is [Wednesday]. Sometimes if you keep playing [on it], that can, the ribcage, you can tear that and it can keep getting longer and it can be serious, you can lose some time. I've had that. It's hard to breathe, really hard to swing. We'll see. Hopefully we don't lose him for very long."

Utley has been one of the club's few bright spots this season. He is hitting .272 with seven doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 25 RBIs in 44 games. He has an .814 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, which ranks sixth among 20 qualifying second basemen in baseball.

Utley has missed significant time each of the previous two seasons because of chronically injured knees, but he has said the knees have felt fine.

Todd Zolecki is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.